Print L.A. Roussin, 1859

A garden city, the urban development of Saint-Denis was limited to low-lying areas until the late 19^th century: marines occupied the coastline and commercial and administrative buildings stretched as far as rue Alexis de Villeneuve. There were some habitations in the upper reaches of the town but, from the future rue Maréchal Leclerc, the land was mainly occupied by vast vegetable gardens. The area beyond the Jardin de l’État was open countryside.